Chapter 72: Whispers Beneath Crystal Lights
Lucas clenched his fists as he watched Officer Brandon vanish into the distant folds of the city's skyline, his pride smoldering beneath the surface like a dormant volcano brimming with magma.
The neon glare of Volaris Prime shimmered off his tightened jaw, casting a faint glow on the rage simmering behind his narrowed eyes. Around him, the jeering entourage that once laughed boldly now stood awkwardly silent. The air between them, once buzzing with ego and bravado, turned stifling.
Not a word.
Not after that humiliating rebuke from Officer Brandon.
"Damn it all..." Lucas muttered under his breath, his voice like gravel and ash, veins bulging along his neck as he fought to keep his fury shackled.
A shorter youth among his group, his hair dyed a radiant green and decorated with ornate piercings across his brow, leaned in with a whisper edged with nervous curiosity. "Are we really just going to let that go, Lucas? He humiliated you. In front of everyone."
Lucas didn't answer right away.
His jaw worked in silence, the tendons in his neck twitching.
"Let it go?" he finally bit out, his words cold and clipped. "No. But I'm not stupid enough to lash out blindly."
He turned sharply, striding toward his levicar. The polished black finish of the sleek vehicle reflected the trembling tension in his fists. Sunlight caught on his clenched hand as he paused.
"We'll dig. Find out who he is. Where he came from. What kind of force dares let someone like him just waltz into Volaris Prime without any visible backing."
He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice lowered into a whisper sharp enough to slice glass.
"...Or maybe he isn't backed by anyone at all. Maybe he's something far worse than we imagined."
---
Elsewhere…
Tucked in the shade of an opulent marble column just outside the legendary Spellbounds Restaurant, Lei Feng leaned against the polished stone, his silhouette cloaked in muted shadows.
The building before him was nothing short of magnificent.
Spellbounds restaurant towered into the sky with majestic arrogance, its architecture a breathtaking blend of classical arcane design and ultramodern elegance. Nine floors of unrelenting splendor, each one more exclusive than the last. Gleaming crystalline glass curved seamlessly along its façade, flowing like liquid starlight, while runes etched in golden script danced along its frame, glowing faintly beneath the sun. Twin serpentine staircases coiled up its front like vines of ivory, and above them hovered a sculpted phoenix, its wings spread in eternal ascent—a symbol of culinary transcendence.
A colossus born of luxury and tradition.
Lei Feng remained still.
His Stealth skill shimmered faintly, bending the light around him. To the countless nobles, bustling servers, and enchanting merchants passing by, he was nothing more than a whisper of wind. They parted unknowingly around him, like a stream flowing around a hidden rock.
He had passed the boisterous aristocrats, the yawning guards, and glittering shop windows without a single glance cast his way.
Now, hidden in plain sight, he allowed himself a rare moment of stillness.
His heart—calm and precise—had only quickened slightly during the confrontation earlier.
Not out of fear.
But restraint.
The kind of restraint forged in fire. The kind that burns hotter than fury.
"Lucas Tan…" Lei Feng murmured to himself, eyes distant, the name like ash on his tongue.
"Arrogant. Entitled. The kind of person who mistakes mercy for meekness."
He tilted his head up slightly, letting a sliver of golden light catch his face.
"He thought he could read me. Like another pawn on his board."
Crackles of subdued lightning flickered beneath his skin—whispers of stormbound power coiling restlessly beneath his calm exterior.
"But that Officer Brandon… he wasn't like the rest."
The shift had been subtle, but unmistakable. When Brandon entered, the atmosphere changed—not through dominance, but through precision. A quiet pressure. The promise of calculated force.
"He's not just a city enforcer. Not by a long shot."
With a slow exhale, Lei Feng deactivated his stealth. A faint shimmer pulsed around him as his figure flickered back into sight, standing tall at the base of the Spellbounds Restaurant.
Two sharply dressed doormen stationed by the entrance gave him a brief glance. Well dressed but casual. Hoodie up, hands in pockets, Lei Feng exuded none of the typical nobility or affluence.
But they stepped aside.
Not because of what he wore—but because of what he radiated.
In Spellbounds, appearance mattered less than presence.
And Lei Feng's presence commanded silence.
The doors opened without a word.
---
Inside the Spellbounds restaurant…
The interior of Spellbounds was a symphony of light, luxury, and layered enchantments.
Crystal chandeliers floated above the crowd, suspended by anti-gravity arrays and softly glowing with warm mana-infused light. They twinkled like constellations, casting golden halos on the velvet carpet below.
The scent of magical cuisine wrapped around him like an embrace—enchanted saffron, wild mana berries, slow-roasted magic beasts meat, and dreamy tea. The aromas danced on the air like notes of a song, promising delights crafted by culinary legends.
Autonomous orchestral instruments played in the distance, each one bound by a living soul fragment—producing music that wasn't just heard, but felt.
The ceiling shimmered with enchantments. One moment a canvas of rolling clouds, the next a glittering starfield with twin moons drifting lazily across.
"Dimensional Folding Arrays," Lei Feng whispered, eyes scanning the impossibly large space. "A blend of pocket-dimension magic and spatial tech. The interior's at least three times the size of the building's footprint."
He smirked faintly. "The Spellbounds restaurant owned by the Spellbound family… with centuries of culinary mastery, the pride of Volaris Prime. Ling Chen read about this place for years."
His gaze softened.
"Shame he never got to see it."
His smile dimmed.
Now that I'm here… how do I find Ling Mei and Lady Solstice? His eyes scanned the crowd, frowning slightly. Too many people. Too many tables. And this is just the first floor…
No time to waste.
"Let's try this." He activated his OmniClass God Eyes.
The world shifted.
His vision rippled like water touched by lightning. The lights bent and refracted, colors sharpening, the mundane becoming magnificent. Spellbound unfolded before him in breathtaking detail—plates glimmered with enchantments, mana fields flickered around nobles, and the servers moved with practiced synchrony, each one bound by layered aura commands.
His gaze pierced illusions, disguises, magical veils.
And still… no sign of them.
---
High above, on a private balcony…
Eira Solstice sat like a queen presiding over her court, a goblet of herbal infusion held delicately between her fingers. The secluded balcony overlooked a private magical garden, its ethereal plants glowing with soft light. Beside her, Ling Mei rested her chin on her hand, fingers tracing the edge of her goblet absentmindedly.
"He's late," she murmured, voice tinged with worry. "Two hours late…"
Eira didn't look up. "Your brother doesn't waste time without reason. You know this."
"But still…" Ling Mei pouted. "What if he forgot? Or what if—" her voice dropped, "—what if something bad happened?"
Eira raised a golden brow. "You worry too much, Mei. Don't tell me… have you developed a brother complex?"
Ling Mei's eyes flared. "W-WHAT! I am concerned, not obsessed!"
Eira chuckled softly. "Relax. If he was in danger, I'd have sensed it."
"Then sense it!" Ling Mei huffed. "Use your mana sense again!"
"Fine," Eira smiled as her eyes glazed gold. A heartbeat passed. Then she rose calmly to her feet.
"He's here."
Ling Mei shot upright. "Really?! Let's call a waiter! He might be wandering around lost!"
---
Meanwhile…
Lei Feng scratched his neck as a strange shiver ran down his spine.
"was I being watched just now…?"
He glanced around then shrugged.
"Probably not."
"They're not on the first floor," he muttered. "What was I thinking? People like them wouldn't dine down here."
He looked toward the staircase.
In Spellbounds, each floor wasn't just a level—it was a stratum of society.
First floor: open to all who carried themselves with dignity.
Second: access granted by wealth.
Third through sixth: the customer must have significant influence.
Seventh: reputation and prestige recognized across the city.
Eighth: reserved for the scions of the Big Five Families.
Ninth: exclusive to patriarchs, warlords, and city rulers.
Lei Feng smiled. "Maybe I'll try the second floor. With my credits, maybe I qualify—"
"Excuse me, sir."
A voice interrupted him. A waiter stood there, dressed in a perfectly pressed uniform. Not a single crease out of place. His hair was slick and tidy, and his tone professional.
"Are you Young Master Lei Feng?"
"…Young Master?" Lei Feng blinked, surprised. "Yeah. That's me."
"Excellent. Lady Solstice and the Young Miss of the Ling Family are expecting you on the eighth floor."
Lei Feng froze.
"Eighth floor?", He barely stopped his jaw from dropping.
Even Doctor Ryan would only be allowed up to the seventh floor at most... and he's a city-renowned healer!
He suppressed his excitement, keeping his face neutral.
"Very well," he said calmly. "Lead the way."
---
Soon they arrived at a majestic elevator with a shimmering golden frame.
"Whoa…" Lei Feng whispered, unable to help himself.
"It's crafted from rare arcane gold," the waiter said with pride. "It can deflect attacks from a Level 70 Legendary Awakener… even platinum-grade weapons can't scratch it. Spellbounds spares no expense in protecting its patrons."
Lei Feng raised a brow. "All this, for a restaurant?"
"Young Master, nobles and aristocrats dine here," the waiter replied. "They have enemies. Assassins. Political rivals. If someone were to die under our roof, the consequences could collapse alliances."
He smiled faintly. "That's why the Big Five can trust us with their kin."
"I see…" Lei Feng nodded slowly, watching as the waiter touched a glowing sigil.
Thsssshhk…
The golden doors parted with a smooth hiss.
The air inside hummed with mana.
"After you, Young Master," the waiter said with a graceful bow.
Lei Feng stepped in, gaze sharp.
And upwards they ascended—into the realm of legends!